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HVAC wifi smart thermostat buyers guide

Thermostat manufacture suggest that you can cut up to 30% off of your heating and cooling energy bill each year by installing a programmable thermostat. The problem with most programmable thermostat is that they are difficult to schedule and are typically not scheduled properly or left completely unscheduled. Setting up and adjusting schedules with a Wi-Fi smart thermostats is much simpler as compared to a programmable thermostat. Scheduling with Wi-Fi smart thermostat is much simpler because the scheduling can be done using a remote interface that can be accessed by a computer of smart phone.

In order to find out which Wi-Fi thermostats are compatible with your HVAC system you will need to know how many stages of heating and cooling your HVAC system has. You will need to know if your system is a heat pump or dual fuel (heat pump with gas heat). You will need to know if your HVAC system has a dehumidifier, humidifier or ventilator. You will need to know if your HVAC system is a zoned system. You will need to know if your existing HVAC thermostat is a communicating thermostat. If you need help figuring out this information just post the question here at thermostatforums.com.

You will need to know if your HVAC system is a heat pump. If your HVAC system is a heat pump you will need to make sure that you select a wifi thermostat that has settings that will prevent the auxiliary heat from coming on immediately after the schedule switches from setback when the thermostat is set to heating.

You will need to consider the cost of having a HVAC company install the thermostat if you do not have the mechanical and electrical ability to install a new thermostat.

The Smart Grid is an intelligent electrical power grid. Some power companies have the ability to communicate with Wi-Fi thermostats. One of the benefits of having a Wi-Fi thermostat is that your power companies will give you a discount if you have a Wi-Fi smart thermostat and enroll in their demand response program. If you are enrolled in the demand response program during periods of high electrical demand on the power grid or during maintenance at the power station the power company will setback your thermostat a few degrees there by curtailing the power grid. Power companies offer Wi-Fi thermostat manufactures a small kickback for each thermostat that is enrolled in the program. Some power and gas companies offer special Wi-Fi thermostat purchase programs. Check with your local power and gas companies to see if there is a rebate available before you purchase your Wi-Fi thermostat.

Some wifi thermostats can be integrated into home automation systems like Control 4, Mi Casa Verde and UBI

The second generation Ecobee3 is Apple home kit and Amazon Alexa enabled. If your ecobee3 is Apple home kit enabled it will have one of these part numbers (EB-STATe3-02 or EB-STATe3c-02) in the lower left corner on the back of Ecobee3. The Ecobee3 is compatible with IFTTT (If that then this) that allows you to set up different recipes for thing like geo location,

​Home IQHome IQ™ shows you how much energy you conserved each month and gives you valuable insight into your heating and cooling equipment. It’s like a home energy audit at no additional cost!

Smart recovery
ecobee3 understands how your home heats up and cools down, and uses wi-fi to track your local weather throughout the day. It then uses this information to determine the best way to bring your home to your desired indoor temperature when you arrive home and maintain it while minimizing how long your heating or cooling equipment runs for.

The Ecobee3 wifi thermostat requires a common wire. If your existing thermostat does not have a common wire the Ecobee3 comes with a PEK (power extender kit). The PEK is used when a common wire is not is not available. With Ecobee providing the extra PEK you know that they really they really thought about about their consumer.

Ecobee is one of the few thermostat companies that you can call customer support and be able to quickly talk to a knowledgeable person.

Product Features
The ecobee3 wifi thermostat has a full color touchscreen, Home IQ report, Automated alerts and reminders, Live Weather, Free software upgrades and No monthly fees
Warranty3 year warranty

Ecobee4

With built-in Alexa voice service, Ecobee4 can listen to your voice commands and respond. Have it set a timer, read you the news, adjust the temperature, and more. It also comes with a room sensor that helps manage hot and cold spots in your home, delivering comfort in the rooms that matter. And because they can detect occupancy, they can automatically enable the right mode on your Ecobee4 for energy savings when it senses no one is home.

Venstar

Best price for a high end wifi thermostat includes supply air temperature alarms

Venstar Color touch T7900

The Venstar color touch T7900 wifi thermostat is one of our top picks for a residential wifi thermostat. If you are looking for a wifi thermostat the Venter T7900 should be on the top of your list. The T7900 thermostat that thinks it's a picture frame. TheT7900 ColorTouch is compatible with most heating and air conditioning equipment and controls <br />
gas/electric or heat pump equipment, with up to 4 heating and 2 cooling stages. The T7900 ColorTouch is also dual-fuel capable and can control humidity. The intuitive "Time Period" Scheduler automatically changes the temperature and mode for up to four periods per day. This allows for comfortable temperatures for sleeping, waking, and daytime, plus an energy savings mode for when no one is home. ColorTouch comes with more than a dozen built-in nature and holiday themes. You can install up to 100 photos and display them as a slideshow. Easy access to energy usage information lets you easily see how much energy has been used to heat and cool for the past seven days. Runtime graphs help you evaluate energy conservation options, giving you the opportunity to decrease energy costs.

The photo slideshow is actually a really neat idea. It is nice to be able to walk by this thermostat and see your uploaded photos. The other thing that we really like about this thermostat is that it has supply air temperature alarms. This is a feature that is only found in high end commercial thermostats. The supply air temperature alarm will notify you via email if the supply air temperature does not go below a adjustable set point in cooling or above a adjustable set point in heating provided that you have a supply air sensor installed. These alarms are great for giving you a early indicator that your HVAC has a issue potentially saving you hundreds of dollars in high electrical bill if your system is low on refrigerant.

The Venstar T7900 wifi thermostat app does not allow you to adjust the schedule. If app for this thermostat allow the adjustment of the schedule it would be our top rated thermostat. The app does let you select if you want the schedule to be on or off. The app also allow you to set the thermostat to home or away.

What's the difference between the ecobee3 and ecobee3 lite:
The ecobee3 lite does not come with or support room sensors. The ecobee3 lite does not support occupancy detection, smart home/away features and does not support humidifiers, dehumidifiers, or ventilators. The ecobee3 lite does have smart recovery, Schedule and vacation settings, home IQ, connection to homekit/Amazon Echo/IFTTT and smart things, alerts and reminders and our web portal and mobile app.

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Honeywell RTH9580WF Wi-Fi Thermostat

Best wifi thermostat for people that like Honeywell and do not want to pay the price of a high end wifi thermostat

The Honeywell RTH9580WF is a Wi-Fi touchscreen programmable thermostat. The RTH9580WF is a 7 day program<br />
mable thermostat that has the ability to program each day of the week with 4 programs. You can customize the thermostat display color to match your décor. The screen displays outdoor temperature and humidity (requires Wi-Fi set up and registration). You can adjust security options to prevent unauthorized changes to system settings. Receive alerts via email and get automatic upgrades. Honeywell periodically issues updates to the software for this thermostat. The updates occur automatically through your Wi-Fi connection. All your settings are saved, so you will not need to make any changes after the update occurs. This thermostat works with common 24 volt systems such as forced air, hydronic, heat pump, oil, gas, and electric. It will not work with millivolt systems, such as a gas fireplace, or with 120/240 volt systems such as baseboard electric heat.

Whats the differences between the Honeywell 9000 TH9320WF5003 and the Honeywell RTH9580WF?The Honeywell 9000 TH9320WF5003 and the Honeywell RTH9580WF are basically the same thermostat the Honeywell 9000 is the pro version and the RTH9580WF is the retail version. On the back of the Honeywell 9000 the label even reads RTH9580WF. The Honeywell 9000 comes with a 5 year warranty and and RTH9580WF comes with a one year warranty. If you do have a warranty claim or a technical question on the Honeywell 9000 you will most likely need a HVAC contractor to answer the question or have them file the warranty claim for you. Because of this it may be best to purchase the RTH9580WF over the Honeywell 9000 TH9320WF5003.

Emerson / White Rodgers

Best wifi thermostat for people looking for a quality thermostat at a lower price

Emerson Sensi wifi thermostat 1F86U-42WF

The Sensi 1F86U-42WF wifi thermostat currently is the easiest wifi thermostat to install because there is app that is <br />
used to install and setup the thermostat. The app will step you though each step of the install process. The app also has links to videos that will assist you in the install of the thermostat if you need the additional help. Configuring the Emerson 1F86U-42WF is also done using the app. You can install and program your Sensi thermostat yourself with your Smartphone app. The app tells you how to install your Sensi thermostat, according to what kind of heating and cooling system you have. Don't know what kind of heating and cooling system you have? The app will help
you figure that out too. See our complete review on the Sensi 1F86U-42WF

No "C wire" required for most HVAC applications - works with existing wiring. Heat only and cool only systems require a “C wire". Universal Application - 4 Heat / 2 Cool. Choice of battery-powered with optional power stealing assist or hardwired with battery backup. The Sensi 1F86U-42WF wifi thermostat does not have a touch screen. The Sensi has a monochrome display and uses a low powered wifi chip that reduces the power consumption.

For heat pump systems the Sensi thermostat uses the same proven staging algorithm as in all of White Rodgers / Emerson high end heat pump thermostats that balances comfort and economy for heat pump / electric heat systems.

The Sensi does not have a vacation mode but with the Sensi thermostat you can add additional schedules that can function as a vacation or special event schedule. Using the Sensi webpage interface switching between schedules is simple.

White Rodgers / Emerson has plans in the next few month to enable additional features, some in future upgrades. The first release of the Sensi thermostat is missing some of features that other manufactures have like filter email alarms, space temp high/low email alarms, equipment runtimes, historical graphical trending.

If you are looking for a wifi thermostat that is simple to install at a affordable price you should consider the White Rodgers / Emerson Sensi thermostat. Sensi is also a great option if your HVAC system does not have a common wire available. The Sensi thermostat comes with a 5 year warranty.

Whats the differents between the Sensi 1F86U-42WF and the Sensi UP500W?
The Sensi 1F86U-42WF is the pro version and comes with a 5 year warranty. The Sensi UP500W is the retail version and comes with a 3 year warranty. The instruction sheets are also different between the two. Other than the warranty and instruction sheets there is no difference between the Sensi 1F86U-42WF and the Sensi UP500W. They both are physically the same and have the same functions.

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Honeywell RTH6580WF wifi thermostat

Best budget wifi thermostat

The Honeywell RTH6580WF wifi thermostat is similar to the Honeywell RTH8580WF but the RTH6580WF has a smaller screen and the screen is not a touch screen. The RTH6580WF is a 7 day programmable thermostat that has the ability to program each day of the week with 4 programs. Compatible with multi stage HVAC units. Some of the thermostat features are auto change from heating to cooling, automatically downloads software updates, smart response technology and compressor protection. Comes with a 1 Year limited warranty

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Honeywell Yth6320r1114

Best wireless wifi thermostat for homes where you do not have the correct thermostat wire

The Honeywell Yth6320r1114 Wireless Focuspro is a great option for a wifi thermostat if you do not have a thermostat wire with the correct number of conductors or if you want to install a thermostat is a room where there is not a thermostat wire. The thermostat communicates wirelessly to the EIB equipment interface board so there is no need for a thermostat wire in the room where the thermostat is located. The Honeywell Yth6320r1114 Wireless Focuspro comes with everything you need to relocate or upgrade with a programmable thermostat without running new wires. Kit options include wireless outdoor sensors and red link Internet gateway for remote access.

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Honeywell

Lyric TH8732WF5018

The Lyric wifi smart thermostat is the next generation of smart technology from the company that invented the round <br />
thermostat. The Lyric thermostat can deliver comfort at home and savings when you’re away, automatically, based on your smartphone location. With the Lyric thermostat, there are no complex menus, complicated programming, or a need to set schedules. The Lyric thermostat packs a wealth of innovative features, is simple to use, and is beautifully designed. The Lyric thermostat is the latest innovative, connected home offering from Honeywell, the recognized category leader since introducing the iconic Round™ in 1945.

Geofencing - Senses when you are nearing home using your smartphone location and makes your home comfortable ahead of your arrival. Starts saving money the moment you leave home.Fine Tune - factors indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, and weather into its algorithm, enabling it to provide the most comfortable temperature for homeowners. No other do-it-yourself Wi-Fi thermostat on the market today does that. Smart Cues - With the Lyric app, you can receive easy to understand guidance on when to change the filter, if and when service is needed, and even where to find a trusted service professional.Shortcuts - Event-based scheduling adjusts for settings such as ‘sleep’ or ‘party’ for easy comfort and control Additional Highlights

What's the difference between the lyric and the lyric T5
The Lyric T5 is not compatable with dual fuel systems, humidifier, dehumidifier, or ventilator. The Lyric T5 does not have a motion sensor.

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Honeywell RTH8580WF wifi thermostat

The Honeywell RTH8580WF is a Wi-Fi touchscreen programmable thermostat. The RTH8580WF is a 7 day programmable thermostat that has the ability to program each day of the week with 4 programs. Compatible with multi stage HVAC units. There are many good reviews on the web about this thermostat. Some of the thermostat features are auto change from heating to cooling, automatically downloads software updates, smart response technology and compressor protection. Comes with a 1 Year limited warranty.

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Honeywell 9000 TH9320WF5003

Honeywell's Wi-Fi 9000 has one of the best looking screens and the touch screen sensitivity is very good as compared to other wifi thermostats. The overall aesthetics and looks of this thermostat are great. The Honeywell 9000 allows remote access to the thermostat through a computer, tablet, or smart phone with Honeywell's Total Connect Comfort &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt ;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt ;Service. The Honeywell 9000 does not need the a RedLINK Internet Gateway to connect to home's existing Wi-Fi network.

The Honeywell's Wi-Fi 9000 is simple to install as compared to other wifi thermostats that have a equipment interface. The redesigned terminal blocks do not require any tools for installation. The wiring terminal blocks are push type connectors. The screen is crisp and the sharpness is one of the best on the market today. The touchscreen sensitivity is about as good as it gets for a HVAC wifi thermostat. The screen color can be adjusted and customize to match any décor.

Setting up and adjusting schedules is simple. There is a very similar look and feel of setting up and adjusting the schedules between the thermostat, app and Honeywell total connect comfort website.

Apps available for tablet and smartphones Automatic software updates through Wi-Fi Selectable to 7 Day or Non-Programmable Program thermostat locally or over the web or app. C Common wire required for installation. 5-year warranty. Apps available for tablet and smartphones. Automatic software updates through Wi-Fi. Control up to 3H/2C heat pump and 2H/2C conventional.

It is hard to believe but this great thermostat has no energy logging information currently available on the thermostat itself or on the Honeywell's total connect comfort service webpage. One of the other things that we noticed is that you can always hear the relay switching when the cooling or heating is energized. This may be because Honeywell has used a higher end switching devise for this model.

On of the things about this thermostat that we do not like is that the vacation mode can only be set and adjusted at the thermostat. You cannot adjust the vacation mode or take the thermostat out of vacation mode Using Honeywell's total connect comfort website. Also there are no equipment run times that can be viewed at the thermostat or on the Honeywell's total connect comfort website.

If you like the Honeywell 9000you may want to consider the Honeywell RTH9580WF because if you have a warranty issue or a technical question Honeywell will most likely not help you with either item because the Honeywell 9000 is a pro version.

Honeywell 9000 TH9320WFV6007

The Honeywell 9000 TH9320WFV6007 talking thermostat has the same features as the TH9320WF5003 but the TH9320WFV6007 has Voice activated recognition and control that allows the temperature setting to be adjusted by talking to the thermostat.
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt ;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt ;Available commands:
Make it warmer / cooler = Changes the temperature setting 1 degree F
Make it much warmer / cooler = Changes the temperature setting 4 degrees F
Make it (1–10) degrees warmer / cooler = User selects temperature setting change between 1 and 10 degrees F
I’m feeling hot / cold = Changes the temperature setting 1 degree F
What can I say? = Provides a list of available commands

Honeywell VisionPro 8000

VisionPRO 8000 TH8110R1008 with RedLINKTM is a 7 day programmable touchscreen thermostat that is selectable for residential or light commercial use. For one stage heat one stage cooling systems. The thermostat can be wired directly to the equipment, used with the THM5421R1021 Equipment Interface Module or used with the THM4000R1000 TrueZONE Wireless Adapter. Works with the RedLINK accessories including the RedLINK Internet Gateway, Portable Comfort Control, Wireless Outdoor Sensor, Wireless Indoor Sensor, Wireless Entry/Exit Remote and Wireless Vent and Filter Boost Remote.

TH8320R1003 VisionPRO 8000 with RedLINK technology. Residential or commercial use. 7-day programmable. Up to 3H/2C heat pump or up to 2H/2C conventional. Works standalone or with the THM5421R1021 (EIM).

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TH8321R1001VisionPRO 8000 TH8321R1001 with RedLINK technology. Residential or commercial use. 7-day programmable. Up to 3H/2C heat pump or up to 2H/2C conventional. Includes a set of universal IAQ contacts to control humidification, dehumidification or ventilation. Works standalone or with the THM5421R1021 (EIM).

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TH8321WF1001

The TH8321WF1001 Vision Pro 8000 is a Wifi version and does not require a RedLINK Internet Gateway.

User Info Menu

Join Date

Jul 2012

Location

Oklahoma City

Posts

393

Why no more details on the TH8321WF1001?
It's the thermostat I'm currently running at my own house.http://a.co/e5iozgJ

You WILL NOT find another thermostat that can do as much as the 8000 WiFi without spending over $200. Touchscreen, 3 heat/2 cool, wired external sensor support, humidity control, ERV/Ventilation control, hot gas bypass/economizer control for commercial applications, and energy monitoring (next app update) for $125? Unbelievable.

No "Oops plate" required for most installs to cover the screw holes/paint marks left by old thermostats. The 8000Wifi is big enough to cover them in most cases. It's something to consider when replacing a thermostat that most people don't think about until they remove their old stat. Many Wifi stats are small, non-standard form factors that require "oops plates" to hide the old holes/paint marks. As an added bonus the 8000WiFi can mount to a standard horizontal electrical box, something else most Wifi stats cannot do w/o an adapter.

Lots of advanced options for HVAC/Energy geeks which can be or good or bad thing. Considered by some as "complicated to setup" by some while those familiar with HVAC system operation will be happy to see the options there. The "install manual" shipped with the thermostat isn't the best. The complete 91-page PDF install guide can be found on Honeywell's website, I highly recommend downloading/reading/understanding it. The number of "bad reviews" this stat has because somebody didn't read/understand the instructions is mind-numbing. Understand that Honeywell recommends PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION because it's NOT a "plug and play" stat. The stat works with the optional "K module" (purchase separately) for those who have at least 3 wires going to their HVAC system but no extra wire for the common.

Watch the "cycles per hour" setting, it's not completely intuitive. It basically controls the amount of thermostat "overshoot", or "swing". If your system is correctly sized the defaults should work fine. Lower numbers mean more overshoot, and less cycling. This is good for system wear/tear and energy efficiency. Higher cycle numbers give you less overshoot and tighter temperature control. Getting this right is essential to keep temp swings under control, when you get it right your system should cycle between 2-4 times per hour on a cold (heat) or hot(AC) day. If you have a heat pump or 2 stage system, go into the advanced mode and set the "swing" manually where the 2nd stage is active. Try 2 degrees at first, adjust from there as needed.

This stat comes with HUMIDITY CONTROL, which is handy for anybody who either has a humidifier installed or lives in a humid climate. If you have a humidifier installed, hook it up. If you live in a humid climate and don't have a humidifier installed (or the humidifier has it's own control) you can use the DEHUMIDIFY function with your AC. The DEhumidify function can lower the speed of the AC fan to pull more water out of the air. Consult your HVAC tech on wiring/setup instructions.

The APP is decent, but not as feature rich as Ecobee. Honeywell is in the process of upgrading their app and including energy monitoring features.